Week Three: Losing 3 Pounds doing the Gimp Shuffle

I Lost 3 Jiggly Pounds This Week

The worst part of this photo? This is not a planned selfie. This was me exhaustedly dropping my phone while trying to take a cute selfie while walking 10 miles to fool you all into thinking I enjoyed every step. This face was the anguish of exuding extra energy to pick the phone up. This face speaks the truth of the day.

Workout Routine Queen

Seriously.

It would be fun, I said. It was easy the last time, I said. The blazing sun would feel good, I said. The last time I walked the 10-mile loop around the Wenatchee valley, I was in impeccable shape. At the beginning of this week, I walked about a third of it. I thought, “wowzers, that was not challenging enough, why don’t you walk the whole thing tomorrow?”  So I did. The first few miles I was smiling and dance-walking (listening to my killer tunes and dancing in my mind to them- while walking with a little extra sway with a few dance moves thrown in at random). I kept thinking, “Golly gee this is fun! Why don’t I do this every day?!” 

It was not until I was standing in East Wenatchee on the trail, looking a crossed the mighty Columbia River seeing my car sitting waiting for me that I had my moment of panic. I was pooped and not CLOSE to finished. I probably had 4 miles to go.  However, at that time it felt more like 400 mile of treacherous trail before me. Thoughts that went through my head: 1) Call your sister. Tell her you are waving the white flag and to come pick you up. 2) Swim a crossed.  Then I remembered I am not a very strong swimmer when it comes to strong currants. Desperation had taken over. 3) Lay down and die. I figured this was a little melodramatic, but still seemed like a valid solution at the time. However, I am very competitive. I went with: 4) Suck it up and finish. Even if you limp like you’ve been riding a horse for 4 days straight, stop your bitchin’ and do it. The days of dance-walking turned into the gimp shuffle. COCONUT WATER IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS. So good for you. We will get into details next week. Try mixing 1/2 water and 1/2 coconut water in your water bottle for your workout. It helps. Trust me.

No matter how many Beauty and the Beast dandelions I pulled up to wish upon, the loop trail did not get any shorter.

I did indeed finish. I got 4 workouts in this week. YAY! And I will probably walk the loop again this week. Why? Because I did not die after all. And I burned 1000 calories and got to pig out on sushi after. I feel like that is a win/win. 

I caved. I got a gym membership while I am stuck at home waiting for my visa to Korea to come through. I am in love with the layout and atmosphere at Gold's Gym.

WORKOUT BREAKDOWN:
Two of my workouts this week involved long distance walking. The third was 45 minutes on the elliptical. The fourth was a BodyPump class. Those classes use to be my favorite thing. I loved them. It is a "low" weight, high repetition cardio class (notice how low was in quotations). Much like my loop walking experience,  this class was on the extreme side of my body's comfort workout zone. By the the time we reached the ab portion (the last workout), all I could do is lay on the floor, panting and sweating. But again, I finished the class like a champ. The old expression, "half the battle is showing up," is indeed the truth. You don't have to move mountains. You just have to try. To believe. To overcome your own self doubt. It is not about impressing others, it is about impressing yourself. Between you and me, I blew my own socks off this week. I was really happy with myself. 

My mind is like, "yeah you go girl!" and my body is like "whoa girl, I hurt!" Put paper cups filled with water in the freezer and magically you will make your own ice cups. This is changing my knees' lives! I was dealing with major pain and crunching in my patellar tendon and it is already getting better! Try it. You will love me for it. Just sayin'. 

Next week, it is GO TIME. I have 3 classes I am planning to with Syrina. She calls them "early morning".... I call 5am workouts the middle of the night. 

If you cannot get fired up find a workout buddy or personal trainer. It REALLY helps. It is all about that accountability.

You workout 42% harder when you wear cute socks. FACT (as told by Katie).

The Kitchen Counter with Katie

I swear it is not because I have a degree in Global Wine Studies that I am obsessed with grapes. Great snack! They are especially good if you put them in the freezer for an hour or two. Super cold, a little extra crunch, but not that weird texture super frozen grapes have. 

Smoothie 101

These fine blended creations may be the easiest thing to make in the kitchen. All you need is produce (fresh or frozen) and a blender (and preferably a cup to put it in after). We will get more complicated next week. The basics:

Cheap is good. Frozen fruit makes pretty rocking smoothies. I got this gigantor bag of fruit at Costco for $10. You can add whatever you want to it, water, milk, coconut water, soy milk and push blend. I ALWAYS add spinach too. You cannot taste it but it is there giving you all sorts of yummy yummy nutrients. You can also add protein powder. I use to do this often. I recently discovered that I am not a body builder, therefore eating 50% protein in my diet is not actually helping me at all. I find I eat more than enough protein in my regular diet and do not need to add it to all my smoothies. 

This little beauty is probably the COOLEST thing invented since peanut butter itself. This is powered peanut butter with the fat sucked out of it. It is 45 calories per serving. This morning I blended an apple, cinnamon, coconut milk, this lovely creation, and spinach. It was a prefecto pre-workout shake for 175 calories. I also love it with banana. It is especially good with vanilla protein powder and coconut water. You can find it at most health food stores. I got this one at Whole Foods.

Salmon is good, duh!

I had salmon 4 times this week. I am in love. It is so good for you and tastes even better. It is Copper River season people. GO GET IT. Costco is calling your name.

My mom and I had a movie day yesterday. I wanted PIZZA. We got a Papa Murphy's Thai Chicken Delite. It is only 200 calories per slice. This with a diet pepsi hit the spot. Guilt free if you have a couple pieces!

After watching Undercover Boss, I am kind of in love with Dutch Bros. Coffee. I always liked them. Now I love them. This americano with coconut milk is killing me with kindness.

I have really been a rock star with food and workouts. However, I do have my Pooh Bear moments when I NEEEEEEEED something sweet like honeyyyyyy.

Popsicles!!!!!!!!! Low calories. High happiness. P.S. I had a reader say that I wear a lot of make up. I'm so glad out of all of fun pictures I post and cool things I say, that was your only comment. I really don't. I love eye make up and lip stick.  So to humor you even though you could not humor me: proof, zippo makeup. Does not mean next week I won't have red lipstick on in every picture. I should do it out of spite. That would be hilarious. There's always gotta be someone to get my sassy pants fired up.

For everyone who has stuck by me through my every mood: I love you. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for reading this blog. 

Little Katie has her sassy pants in a bunch, yet her dad keeps smiling on. Happy Father's Day, dad! You are a true hero. haha  

GOALS:
*FOR REALS start packing for Korea
*Workout 5 times this week! 
*Do more writing
*Go to Wenatchee Rotary
*Drink more water
*Actually get up for my "middle of the night workouts"

If you have any questions, comments, topic requests, or concerns- let me know! blairkat@gmail.com Thanks to everyone who added me on MyFitness Pal!  You rock! And for reading all the way to the end- you rock even more! Be strong. Train hard. Keep me posted.